The thing with going back to your home town is that it can be messy. I had gone back to Amarillo for the good. I wanted to get a lease on life again. My soul needed me to go back to my roots. I needed to shake off what had happened back in Vermont.

David and I were at a bar. We were enjoying ourselves. My dad was friends with the owner, and, with my dad's blessing, I was allowed a beer or two. My dad's reasoning was that if I was going to drink, he wanted me to be someplace safe. Andy's Saloon was safe.

After much brow beating, Andy allowed David to have a beer as well. He pointed at me. It was early, so while the tables were starting to fill up, we were alone at the bar. Andy pointed at David then.

"Just one, you understand me?"

"Yes Sir."

"I mean it. And if anyone asks, just walk away."

"Yes, Sir."

"I'm serious, son. I could lose my license for this."

"I'm not fixin' to get you in trouble, Sir."

Giving a final warning look to David, Andy began to walk away.

"Thank you kindly!" David called after him.

Andy scowled as he wiped down the counter top. David turned to me, his back to Andy, and tried not to laugh.

"He always so uptight?"

I also was trying not to laugh. "Eh, no, not really. He's just jumpy because you're new."

As I took a swig from my bottle, I nearly choke. The last person on earth I wanted to see had just sauntered through the door. Before I could turn away and hide, our eyes locked.

"What?" David asked, his brow furrowed.

"Shit," I muttered, ducking my head in a feeble attempt to, I don't know, hide or something.

"What? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I wish."

Before David could reply, there's another man standing behind him. He's smiling at me and I wish he'd stop. I don't know what's worse, how genuine the smile is or the fact that he's here, period.

"Tristan! What in the devil are you doing here?"

Before I reply, I take a deep gulp from my bottle. I notice down the bar Andy has his eyes fixed on us again. When I put the bottle down, I smile.

"Visiting," is all the reply I give.

The man looks down at David, who has twisted in his bar stool, looking up at this stranger, saying, "And who is this?"

"Jon," I reply gruffy, "this is David—my boyfriend. David, this is Jon."

"Howdy," David greets, shaking the man's hand. If you didn't know what to look for, you would miss the fleeting look of pain that crossed the man's face as quickly as a shadow from the clouds move across the grass in a storm.

"Nice to meet you."

"Same."

Jon looks at me, and I nearly fall for the look all over again. Him and his chin-length, straight brown hair, brown eyes, charming smile. Tanned skin. So suave.

"Mind if I join you?"

I open my mouth to say "Yes I mind", but David beats me to the punch. "Pull up a stool!"

I cringe, but cover it with a smile I'm praying looks natural. I watch as Andy comes over, shaking Jon's hand. The two make brief small talk. As he does, he puts another beer in front of me. I, silently grateful, take it. After about a minute Andy is gone.

"So what have you been up to these days?" Jon asks me, a sweet smile on his lips. 

I want to say, none of your damn business. I want to say, fuck off. But instead I just grin at him awkwardly. "Oh, you know. A little of this, a little of that."

"Are you in school?"

I shake my head.

"How'd you meet David here?"

"Party," I say before David could answer.

"Ah," Jon says, and it's not in an exactly friendly manner. "The good ol' hookup, huh?"

David, who has been silently scrutinizing the both of us, chimes in. "No, actually. Well, not that first night anyway."

Jon had ordered himself the usual--a Cosmo. I nearly roll my eyes. He takes a sip and then speaks. "Really? Hm. Usually Tristan will sleep immediately with anything with a dick."

David goes silent again, looking between us. 

I, however, brush it off. "Still drinking girly drinks I see?"

Jon narrows his eyes. "Sorry--I don't like drinking things that taste like piss, thanks." 

I'm a little relieved when he laughs. Even so, I change the subject. "What about you?"

"I got into Oxford."

I outright laugh. Jon's brow furrows, and he frowns at me. "I'm being serious."

I stop laughing. "Wait--you really got into Oxford?"

Jon looks mildly offended. "Why does that surprise you?"

I stop myself from rolling my eyes. "Not because I don't think you're smart--everybody knows you're smart--it's that I didn't know you applied."

Jon gives me a chilling smile. "You'd have known if we kept in contact."

Time to switch subjects again. "What're you doing here then? Why aren't you out galivanting over in England yet?"

"Actually," Jon replies, raising his eyebrows as he takes another--larger--sip from his drink. "I leave tomorrow. I came here in the dim hopes of seeing you a final time."

I talk before I can stop myself. "Well if that ain't creepy I d'no what is."

David is now very clearly uncomfortable and has stopped drinking. He looks like he's watching a train wreck unfold. 

Jon smiles but it's missing any sort of warmth. "Oh, so I'm creepy now, hm?"

"A little," I reply, somewhat quietly. I glance over at Andy, but he's unfortunately serving someone else.

"All I'm saying," Jon continues adamantly, "is I heard you moved out of state."

 "From who?"

"Matt."

"Oh. Lovely." The beer is starting to hit me, and I droll the next part, stupidly. "How'd you bribe him for that information? Give him a blowjob?"

Jon laughs. "You and I both know that boy is straight."

"He's a dead man is what he is," I mutter under my breath.

"Oh don't be a bear!" Jon says.

I take out my wallet, tossing some money on the bar. When I do, Jon grabs my wrist roughly. I freeze immediately. David gets to his feet, his stool scraping loudly against the floor. I'm happy that happened, because it got Andy's attention. Andy excuses himself, and I look at him. Jon looks over his shoulder, sees Andy, and releases my wrist at once.

"Problem?" Andy asks, sizing Jon up.

"No problem here," I reply, gently taking David by the arm. "In fact, we were just leaving."

When Jon gets up to leave with us, Andy reaches across the counter and roughly forces him back into his stool. "You're keeping me company, Jon. And how I do ever so much love your company."

Jon glares at Andy, and then at me. David has, thankfully, wrapped his arm around my shoulders and is leading me to the door. I look over my shoulder and smile. "Good luck in Oxford!"

Jon merely continues to glare at me until the door shuts behind us.

"What the fuck," Davis asks as we walk away down the sidewalk in a hurry, "was that?"

"A mistake," I grumble, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I glance over my shoulder once, and then pull up my contact list. "A very stupid, bad, mistake."

"What--"

I cut David off by bringing my phone to my ear. It rings three times before it's picked up.

"He--"

"What the fuck were you thinking telling Jon I had moved?" I explode at Matt before he can even finish 'hello'. 

"Woah, Trist--"

"What part of, 'if he comes around asking for me you say nothing' wasn't I fucking clear on? What part of, 'I don't want you talking to him' did you not understand?"

"I'm sorry--"

"And give me my fucking money, ass! By the end of the week! If you have TV money you can fucking pay me back!"

Before he can say anything I hang up on him. 

My heart is speeding at a million miles an hour. I'm shaking. My feet are carrying me almost as fast as my heart rate is. David scuttles along besides me. I'm eternally grateful when he doesn't say anything, waiting for me to speak.

However, I don't say anything until we're all the way to my house. I excuse myself to the bathroom, locking myself in, run the shower, and quietly cry in fear.